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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: arm · bear · chip · safe · squash · shower · firm · bark

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. squash — the sport
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. firm — steady
  5. chip — to eat
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. shower — to wash
  8. shower — rain
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. chip — for betting
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. squash — to crush
  16. bear — the animal
  17. firm — decided
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bark — to shout
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. shower — a meteor shower

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com